1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a system for automatically dispensing a powdered detergent into a wash tub of a clothes washing machine or the like, and more particularly to such a system which can provide automatic control of an amount of detergent to be dispensed in accordance with kinds of detergents and so on.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of the detergent dispensing systems of the abovementioned type is disclosed in Japanese patent application No. 54-43,827, wherein a certain amount of a powdered detergent contained in a container provided at an upper portion of the washing machine is dispensed into a wash tub by a predetermined amount every time when a valve is opened. According to this system, the valve is manually operated, which entails troublesome manual operation.
Another detergent dispensing system is disclosed in Japanese patent application No. 42-18,769 wherein the powdered detergent contained in the container is dispensed into the wash tub with a screw rotated by a water-driven wheel provided in a water supply passageway through which the water is introduced into the wash tub. According to this construction, the provision of screw denecessitates manual operation of the valve and the detergent is dispensed in accordance with an amount of water to be supplied to the wash tub. However, there are some kinds of detergents, for example, the detergents are mainly divided into a synthetic one and a powdered soap, each of which has some different kinds on the point of degrees of concentration. Furthermore, degree of soil differs from clothes to clothes. In these circumstances, the aforementioned prior art detergent dispensing systems could not provide desirable control of the amount of detergent in accordance with different kinds of detergents and degree of soil of the clothes to be washed. The need thus remains to provide a detergent dispensing system wherein the amount of detergent to be dispensed is determined in accordance with the kind of detergent and degree of soil of the clothes to be washed.